Posted March 29, 2023 by XCVG
Shattered 2 build 2263e8f is the second preview of the planned major update to Shattered 2. This preview release is primarily for Improve My Game Jam 26. I’ve laid out what this project is, what the update will be, and where these previews fit into things in the last devlog, so check that one out if you haven’t already. This devlog is going to be a lot shorter, both because it’s not going over all the background again and because there’s been less progress than last time. Part of that is because of timing, part of that is because of the previously mentioned delays for real-life reasons, part of that is because I made a thing for Magical Girl Game Jam 7.
When we left off, there were a few major features left to do. Although I’ve been working on this on-and-off and haven’t put that much time in overall, it’s getting pretty close to finished.
Now tentatively titled “A Prayer Answered”, this sidequest has been concepted out and mostly implemented. It’s possible to complete the quest with all possible resolutions, but there’s an alternate pathway (of sorts) through it that isn’t implemented at all, and some of the dialogue probably needs proofreading.
All the collectibles planned are now in the game, with both text/images to view in what is now called the Codex and objects placed throughout the world to find and interact with. Some collectibles are unlocked through dialogue, both through existing and new dialogue options. There are still a few decorative objects I’d like to add, particularly in the store and the keep.
Achievements were listed as a stretch goal previously, but were pretty quick to add in. Most of them you’ll get in a normal playthrough, but some are a bit more obtuse. There’s not much new from the technical side- I already had achievements in other games. What’s new technically is pop-up notifications for achievements (and collectibles as well). The implementation of those is super hacky, but they do work.
Of course, there are still lots of small things to do before this release is ready for launch, although that list is a bit smaller than it was last time. I think at least one bug has been fixed, there have been a bunch of small tweaks to the world, graphics, and dialogue, and I restyled the buttons on the main menu.
And that leads us nicely into the...
The originally hoped for February launch date was never realistic, but at this point I think it’s good to go for an April launch. This still isn’t the planned update, but it’s very close. I’d say it’s at 90% or even 95% now, versus 70% back in January. Of course, there’s always the risk with the last parts taking the longest to complete, and with last minute scope creep, so I’ll need to keep that under control and stay focused on getting this out the door.
Given how close this is to the launch, I understand if you want to wait for the final version. But any feedback I can get at this stage is useful. Major changes probably won’t make it in, but there’s time for minor tweaks and bugfixes, and as always, what didn’t make it into this project will inform the design of projects yet to come.